Keep the Aspidistra Flying

Orwellian Passive Antiheroism Features Within Modern Capitalism College

Nowadays, financial and employment-related matters frequently become the subject of concern for many people. A widespread system, capitalism implies that individuals themselves are to take care of their bread and butter, but not everybody succeeds in these conditions. However, this situation is hardly new. In his novel Keep the Aspidistra Flying, George Orwell touches upon the same subject and examines what may happen to a person under these circumstances. On the example of Gordon Comstock, the writer examines how a unique type of an antihero develops. Similar to the protagonist, contemporary members of capitalistic society may become a passive antihero notable for their distorted attitude toward money, job, friendship, and romantic relationships which makes the novel relevant to the present.
Money is portrayed as the manifestation of evil the absence of which paradoxically makes a human being unhappy and pathetic. The main character loathes money because he lacks it and, consequently, life values are unavailable to him. At the same time, he knows every detail associated with the object of his contempt and its acceptance by salespersons: “…that absurd little thing, all by itself, sticking on the end of your finger like a...

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